USB Devices hang when used with External Hub

G

Guest

Sorry, this was original posted in Windows Media Center group.... I think
hardware is more appropriate.

COMPUTER INFO
- HP Pavilion Laptop (ze5700)
- Windows XP (SP2/Up-to-Date, clean-installed under 2 weeks ago)
- 1 GB of RAM
- P4 Processor @ 2.66 Ghz
- All hardware updates from HP applied, including latest BIOS update from '05

PROBLEM INFO
- Short: USB devices freqently hang/reset when using an external USB hub.

- Background: my laptop only has 3 USB plugs, I have 5 devices (wireless
mouse, pda-phone, external hard drive, external keyboard I use at home, usb
drive). I wanted to plug in the "stay at home ones" into a hub so I went and
bought one. And I experience hangs on any device that goes through the
external hub.

- I've never used a USB hub before so I don't know if this problem is new or
not, but this is a fresh install of XP.

-Devices will work for approximately 30 minute, then hang for up to 5
seconds. Some of the external devices act like they've been reset (the
keyboard for instance, turns all it's lights on briefly like it just got
plugged in--but Windows does NOT re-detect devices or make the
"unplugged/plugged in" sounds. It seems to do nothing other than interupt
the mouse that's plugged in to it, interupts drive access to an external
drive, and prevents my PDA from syncing with my computer at all.

RESOLUTION STEPS THUS FAR:
1. Return the USB hub to the store - exchange for a different brand name
(original was a Dynex (BestBuy brand). Next one is a Belkin. Both were
4-port powered units. Same problem.

2. Windows XP USB troubleshooter didn't help, also, device manager says the
devices are working properly.

3. Since the problem does NOT happen when using any built-in USB port on my
computer, I thought maybe the generic Windows USB hub driver was the issue,
but removing the device and letting Windows re-install it did not help.

What is going on here?

- skeene
 
T

Ted Zieglar

Is this a powered hub? It should be, since the USB port in your computer
(into which you plug your hub) won't have enough electrical power to
power the devices in the hub.
 
G

Guest

Yup. all hubs I've tried are powered units. The "external" power light
comes on. And I have this problem whether I plug just one thing into the
hub, or all 4 things.


- skeene
 
Y

Yves Leclerc

Have you checked to Power Profiles or the USB port power options? You may
have an issue where XP will turn the power off to the USB port(s), thus
turning off all connected devices.
 
G

Guest

I might think that if it wasn't hanging every 30 seconds or less.
I did check though. I also tried turning on and off the "Legacy USB
Support" option in the bios. It had no disernable effect.
 
G

Guest

Shawn Keene said:
I might think that if it wasn't hanging every 30 seconds or less.
I did check though. I also tried turning on and off the "Legacy USB
Support" option in the bios. It had no disernable effect.

What type of usb controller is there?

--PA
 

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